Deadly Whispers
by Lilacs46
Summary: Single mother Bella inherits the house of the elderly woman under her care. She decides to have the house remodeled, and finds that she feels an instant attraction for the contractor she hires. Things were finally looking up for Bella, or so she thought.
1. Chapter 1

**All characters belong to S. Meyer, but the plot belongs to me. Please don't steal.**

**Deadly Whispers**

**Summary: When single mother, Bella, inherits the house of the elderly woman she had been taking caring of, she decides to have the house remodeled, and finds that she feels an instant attraction for the contractor she hires. Things were finally looking up for Bella. Or so she thought.**

**BPOV**

Shelly Cope was the reason we had been summoned to law offices of Wickham & Wickham in downtown Cary, North Carolina. It was a beautiful Friday in May without a cloud in the sky. Normally, I would have been at home, working in Shelly's garden. However, she had passed away a couple of weeks prior and had unexpectedly written me into her will.

Her two daughters sat beside each other on one side of the oval table while I sat across from them. Worried about what they must be thinking of me, I couldn't bring myself to look at them. Instead, I looked down at my hands that lay upturned in my lap. I could feel the weight of their eyes on me. Filling with dread, my body began trembling uncontrollably, and I found it hard to breathe. I felt as if I were a sheep being led to slaughter, and they were waiting to inflict the deadly blow. _I shouldn't be here,_ I thought. Shelly had already given me everything she had promised to me in her will. Maybe it was just a formality? Proof that what she had given me was meant to be mine.

A man cleared his throat as he entered the room, and my head jerked up at the sound of his gruff voice. "Good Morning," he said as he offered his hand, first to Melissa, the eldest of Shelly's two daughters, and then to Gina, before shaking my hand as he introduced himself. "I'm Thomas Wickham, Mrs. Cope's attorney, and the executor of her will." Mr. Wickham placed his briefcase on the table in front of him before taking his seat at the head of the table.

"Excuse me, Mr. Wickham," I said in a small, timid voice, hoping that I wouldn't draw Shelly's two daughters' attention to our conversation.

_Yeah, good luck with that. _

Melissa's and Gina's attention was off the lawyer and on me quicker than you could swat a fly. When I turned to look at them, I saw nothing but loathing in their eyes. They had never even met me before that day, but I could tell by their mirrored expressions they truly hated me. But, why did they hate me? That was what I couldn't comprehend. I took care of the mother they both abandoned after she married a man they didn't approve of. He had done nothing to deserve their hate. His only crime had been falling in love with and marrying their mother. He had provided for her while she was able-bodied, and took care of her when she was no longer able to care for herself. When he was no longer able to, he had hired me to take care of both of them. Mr. Cope had been a man that any daughter could be proud to call their step-father, but sadly, he had been a man whose skin color was not to their liking. You see, Mr. Cope had been an African American.

Shelly's daughters should have been grateful that she left them in her will at all, because every penny of that money had been earned by Mr. Cope. When he was still alive, they had wanted nothing to do with him or their mother. Hell, they hadn't even resumed seeing their mother once he had passed away! Had they been my children, I doubt that I would have been so generous. I would have cut them out of my will the way they cut me out of their lives, and given all of my money to charity.

"I don't really need to be here, do I?" I asked. "Shelly has already given me everything that she said she was going to leave me in her will." I didn't want to be there; I had more important things to attend to. Priority number one was to finish packing, moving mine and my son's' things into the apartment that I had rented the week before. I was sure that the moment Shelly's daughters took possession of the house, they would evict us. I wasn't going to give them the satisfaction. More importantly, having remembered the choice phrases Shelly had told me they bestowed upon her when she had started dating her husband, I didn't want my son to witness the racist rhetoric I was sure to hear once they realized that my son was bi-racial. I knew that there was no way I could shield my son from racist remarks every day of his life; but when it was within my power to do so, I would.

Mr. Wickham averted his gaze from me to look at the papers he held in his hand. He skimmed through the first few pages before stopping on one in particular. After reading the next few pages, he smiled. "Bella Swan, is it?" he asked as he returned his attention to me.

"Yes, sir."

"I believe it would be in your best interest to stay."

Melissa and Gina were none too happy about the outcome, each having received only one hundred thousand dollars. They threatened to contest the will, but Mr. Wickham assured them that it was iron-clad, all loopholes had been closed. They turned to look at me, eyes narrowed in anger, as if they thought all of this was somehow my fault. I, on the other hand, was astounded when Mr. Wickham told me Shelly had left the majority of her estate to me. At first, I thought there had been some kind of mistake and I said as much. He then handed me one of the letters Shelly had written to each of us. I began reading, and I soon felt a lump rise in my throat and tears well up in my eyes as I got to the last part of her correspondence.

_"When you love someone, you want nothing more than for them to be happy. That's all I wanted for my daughters. My love for them was unconditional, but they set conditions on returning that love. Don't get me wrong, Bella. I love my children, but I can't reward their despicable behavior by leaving them everything my husband worked so hard for. It would be as if I condoned it. They disowned me simply because I fell in love with a man whose color they didn't approve of, and I will be damned if I let them get their hands on everything he worked so hard for. You, on the other hand, even though we share no blood ties, have given me your love freely, and expected nothing of me in return. You have been more of a daughter to me than my own, and there isn't anyone else I'd rather leave my belongings to. Please accept them with my blessing. I wouldn't have left them to you if I didn't think you deserved it. If you feel that the house is too big for you and little Seth, feel free to sell it, it's yours to do with as you wish. _

_"All my love, Shelly." _

Melissa let out a huff, causing me to look up across the table at her, and I saw Gina roll her eyes.

"This isn't over!" Melissa stood up from the table, grabbing her sister by the hand and storming out of the room.

Mr. Wickham walked over to me and put his hand on my shoulder. "Bella," he said, handing me a tissue. I took it from him, wiped the tears from my eyes, and blew my nose. "They can contest the will if they like, but I'm positive it will be upheld it court," he said handing me an envelope.

"What's this?" I asked. My eyes narrowed in curiosity as I took it from him.

"It's the deed to the house," he began. "Shelly transferred the property to your name over a year ago, when her doctor told her the cancer was terminal." He placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. "She really loved you and your son, Bella, and she was worried that her daughters might try to contest the will. This was her way of making sure that, if nothing else, you and your son would be able to keep your house."

"I loved her too and I'm going to miss her. Thank you, Mr. Wickham, for everything," I said, offering my hand to him.

Taking my hand in his, he smiled, saying, "It was my pleasure." I nodded and then I made my way outside to my car and drove back to my mother's house.

My mother, Renee, was out on the front porch, playing cars with Seth, when I pulled into her driveway. I almost strangled myself getting out of my car. I was in such a hurry to tell my mother what had happened at the reading of the will, that, I forgot to unfasten my seatbelt.

_Great._

My mom let out a roaring laugh. "Are you alright?" she asked through broken laughter. Leave it to my mother to find humor in my pain.

"I'm fine. I just bruised my ego a little, is all. I was in a hurry to talk to you," I said, rubbing my neck, hoping the belt hadn't left a mark.

"What's so important that you'd risk strangulation to tell me?" she asked with a chuckle.

Seth ran up to me, and wrapped his little arms around my legs, squeezing tight.

"Momma, can I sleep at Bama's house tonight?" he asked in his sweet little voice, tilting his head up to look at me. When Seth first began speaking, he couldn't pronounce grandma; instead, it came out as Bama. Mom thought it was precious, so we never encouraged him to call her anything else. My son was the cutest child in the world as far as I was concerned. His eyes were a bright, beautiful shade of brown, almost the color of warm caramel, and his hair was so black it was almost blue. I had to admit that I was a little jealous of his skin color, because he would never have to worry about a tan; his tone being just a few shades lighter than that of his father's, Jacob.

I gently pulled his arms from around my legs and knelt down in front of him. "I don't know, little man. Bama might have other plans for tonight," I said as I looked up at my mother.

"I told him he could, if it was alright with you."

Returning my gaze to Seth, I smiled. "I guess its okay then, but why don't you go play in the toy room for a while? I need to speak to your grandma for a few minutes." He gave me a quick hug, and then he trotted along to the other room to play with his toys.

"I think you need to be sitting down when you hear this," I said, taking her hand and leading her into the living room.

After going over everything that had happened at the law firm with my Mom, I kissed her and Seth good-bye, then drove home to my house.

"My house," I breathed as I pulled into the driveway, loving the sound it made as it rolled off my tongue.

**A/N**

**I still have a lot to learn before I can even consider what I write as good, but, I am living proof that if you want something bad enough and you listen to the advice of those who know more than you do, you can improve.**

**I have a few people I want to thank, who encourage me when I think "Why bother, I'll never get it right." First and foremost is jjulibee. (Meant to Be) She has always been a pillar of support, and I am forever in her debt. Julie, if it wasn't for you, I would have given up a long time ago. venis-envy, (Pisces Reverie) and (Dear Alice) who is very strict when it comes to repeat words. lol ****She is who I always go to when I need advice, and she offers it without ever complaining. Queenofgrey, (Porcelain Heart, A Secondhand Spark, In Bloom and Carpe Noctem & Fiat Lux) because her writing inspires me like no other.**

**Last but certainly not least, Kimmydonn, and ruthperk. They are my awesome** **beta's for this story, though any mistakes you find can only be blamed on me. **

**If you like what you've read so far, please leave a review. Also, if you see any mistakes, or something that I may need to improve upon, just send me a PM. I'm open to suggestions.**


	2. Chapter 2

All characters belong to SM, but the plot belongs to me. Please don't steal.

**BPOV**

An annoying buzz of silence rang in my ears as I sat down on one of the plush chairs in Shelly's— now my— family room. She had been gone for a little over two weeks already, yet I hadn't realized how empty the house felt until I was here alone without Seth running around making noise. Shelly had never been one to talk a lot, but she always had the television tuned into one of her favorite soap operas. God, I hated soap operas. But during the day when Seth was in school, they kept her company while I did the housework.

Recalling the letter Shelly had left for me, I grabbed my purse from the floor beside me. I pulled it out, unfolding it, and began reading it again, stopping at the last line. "_If you feel that the house is too big for you and little Seth, feel free to sell it, it's yours to do with as you wish."_

The house had been her home for more than twenty-five years, and it had been mine and Seth's for the past five and a half. Seth was only six months old when we moved in, and I started taking care of Shelly. It was the only home he had ever known. Sure, the house needed a new roof and some good remodeling, but there was no way I would even consider selling her house.

Instead, I decided to have the house remodeled. I knew nothing about contractors, or construction for that matter, but I was sure if I did my research, I could find a reputable company online.

Folding the letter, I slid it back in my purse before getting up from my chair and walking upstairs to turn on my computer. Once it was up and running, I sat down and typed 'contractors specializing in remodeling' into the search engine. There were only a handful of contractors listed for Fuquay Varina, but there was one by the name of 'Cullen Construction and Remodeling' that was a member of the Fuquay Varina Chamber of Commerce. Wondering if it was too late to call, I glanced at the clock on my computer screen. _Four-sixteen, they don't close their office until five. _I picked up the phone and placed the call. After the third ring, I heard a man's voice say, "Cullen Construction, this is Edward speaking."

I introduced myself, and we discussed in great detail the repairs that needed to be done to the house, the rooms I wanted remodeled.

"Ms. Swan," he said. "I'd love to take on the job. But, I need to see the house before I can give you an estimate, and my schedule for the remainder of the week is filled during business hours. I could come by after work today-"

"Oh, that would be great!" I said with enthusiasm, cutting him off.

Mr. Cullen laughed. "You might not feel that way once I finish what I was trying to say."

I could feel the blush flood my cheeks at my embarrassment, happy that he wasn't there to witness it. "I'm sorry. Please continue."

"I could come by after work today, if you don't mind my son coming along with me. I have to pick him up from daycare no later than six. It would save time if I didn't have to run him by my brother's house before I go to yours."

I wondered why his wife couldn't pick up their son from the daycare while he came to look at the house, but then considered that she might be working as well.

"Sure, that won't be a problem. Bring him with you." Remembering the late hour and knowing how cranky children could get when they were hungry, I went on to say, "I was getting ready to make something to eat. If you and your son don't mind, I'd love to have you both join me for dinner. Nothing fancy, just Sloppy Joes and potato chips." I felt it was the least I could do, since he was willing to drop by and give me an estimate after office hours.

"If you're sure it's no trouble."

I couldn't stop the laugh that escaped my lips. "Please, how much trouble can Sloppy Joes be?"

Ending the call, I hurried into the kitchen; pulling the hamburger, ketchup, and mustard out of the fridge before making my way to the pantry to get an onion, sugar and bottle of vinegar. No canned Sloppy Joe mix for this girl! I always made mine from scratch.

I had just placed the lid on the frying pan and set the stove to simmer, when I heard gravel crunching under the weight of tires as his vehicle came up the driveway. I wiped my hands on my apron before taking it off. I hadn't even placed it on the counter when I heard the doorbell ring.

What awaited me on the other side of the door was not what I had been expecting. From our conversation over the phone, I had assumed he would be much older, but the man who stood before me couldn't have been any more than twenty-eight. His eyes were a beautiful, sea glass green; his disheveled hair was brown with bronze streaks running through it. I had to refrain from reaching out to touch it, denying myself the pleasure of seeing if it was as soft as it looked. When I lowered my gaze to his son, my eyes caught sight of two beautiful, brown orbs. I couldn't help but smile. The child was a miniature copy of his father.

Allowing them entrance into the foyer, I pushed open the glass door saying, "Please, won't you both come in?"

"Thank you." He smiled. Placing his hand on his son's shoulder, he ushered the child inside and followed closely behind him.

"Thanks for coming, Mr. Cullen." I offered my hand in greeting.

"My pleasure," he said as he shook my hand. "And please, call me Edward."

_And what's this? Did he just squeeze my hand?_ I thought as I raised my head to look at him. When our eyes met, he smiled. He was definitely flirting with me. I found myself instantly attracted to him. It appeared that he felt it too, but it had been so long since a man had shown any interest in me that I didn't know how to respond. In fact, the 'only' man I had ever been with was Jake, and had he not made the first move, we wouldn't have gotten together in the first place. Lord knows, I was too shy to ask anyone out.

I just stood there; completely and utterly lost in his eyes. My heart rate accelerated, my breathing hitched, and my face grew warm as blood rushed to my cheeks.

Upon seeing me blush, his smile grew wider and I chewed on my bottom lip to hide my own smile. I shook myself out of my trance when I remembered his son was in the room with us. Pulling my hand free from Edward's grasp, I knelt down before his son. "What's your name, little man?"

"Ben," he said in a small, shy voice, as he slid the toe of his shoe back and forth across the carpet.

"It's nice to meet you, Ben. I have a little boy too, he's six years old. How old are you?" I asked, reaching out to shake his hand.

"I'm seven," he said matter-of-factually, as he placed his little hand in mine.

"Are you hungry? I made Sloppy Joes." I smiled, hoping he would feel more at ease.

He nodded shyly.

Looking up at Edward, I asked, "And, how about you?"

"Actually, I'm starving. I worked straight through lunch today." I was sure the smile he offered had nothing to do with the mediocre meal I had prepared.

As we ate dinner, Edward and I discussed the renovations for the house. Ben was paying little, if any, attention to our conversation as he ate his sandwich and potato chips.

Edward asked if I had the floor plans to the house. When I told him that I didn't know where Shelly had left them, he assured me that it wasn't a problem. He could pick up a copy down at the Department of Building Inspections. From there, he would draw up a design for the remodeling work I wanted done to the kitchen, living room, and three bathrooms.

After promising that he would be back early Monday morning to begin replacing the roof, Edward stood up from the table. "Thanks for dinner, Bella," he said, before turning to look at his son. "Ben." He nudged his son's shoulder, prompting him to respond.

"Thank you, Miss Bella," Ben said, looking down at his shoes as he stood by his father.

"You're welcome, sweetheart," I said. I looked back at Edward. "I'll walk you two out."

As we made our way to the door, Edward said that he would have a few different plans drawn up for the renovations and back to me no later than Friday afternoon.

"Thanks again for coming by on such short notice," I said before turning my attention to Ben, who was looking bored as he stood beside his father. "It was nice meeting you, Ben. If it's okay with your Dad, I'd love to have you come to work with him sometime. My son, Seth, would really enjoy having someone to play with."

When I returned my gaze to Edward, he smiled as he nodded his consent. "See you Monday morning."

"Bye." I smiled, as I waved. I slowly closed the door, my eyes trained on Edward and his son until they disappeared around the corner of the house.

**A/N This chapter has now been edited by my two wonderful beta's Kimmydonn and Ruthperk. Kimmy has written a few fics herself, you should check them out.**

**Thanks for taking the time to read this. Don't be shy about leaving reviews. I've met a lot of really nice FF authors from the reviews I've left for the stories I read and I'd love to make a few friends with a few of my readers as well.**

**P.S. If you love angst as much as I do, check out 'Porcelain Heart' by queenofgrey. It's beautifully. Just make sure you have a box of tissue handy.**


	3. Chapter 3

All characters belong to Mrs. Myers, good or bad, the plot belongs to me.

**BPOV**

Yawning, I opened the fridge and pulled out the milk for mine and Seth's breakfast, setting it on the table.

"Mom," Seth called out from the living room in an aggravated tone, "I can't find my book-bag."

"It's here in the kitchen on the back of the chair, where you left it." I shook my head and smiled. Seth was forever leaving his things lying around the house, only to forget and ask me later where they were.

"Oh," he said, slapping the palm of his hand against his forehead in mock frustration.

"Would you like a piece of toast with your breakfast this morning?" I asked as I placed two bowls of cereal on the table, pouring a little milk in to each of them.

He nodded as he sat down at the table and then scooped up a spoonful of Cheerios, shoving it into his mouth.

After we finished eating, I cleared the table, placing the dishes into the sink. As I rinsed the bowls to place them in the dishwasher, I heard a vehicle coming up the driveway. I looked out the window, and then up at the clock on the stove. _Seven o'clock_. True to his word, Edward had arrived early with his crew, ready to start work on the roof.

"Hurry up, Seth. Grab your book bag and let's go. The bus will be here soon," I said as I fished my car keys out of my purse, before ushering Seth out of the house and into the yard.

"Good morning, Bella," Edward said with a smile, as he stood in front of his truck. He was dressed totally differently than he had been Friday when he came over to look at the house. That night he had been wearing a nice pair of dress pants and a button-down, cotton shirt. Today he wore a faded pair of form fitting jeans and a t-shirt, just like the three men he brought with him.

_Maybe he had other things to attend to besides actual labor on Friday,_ I thought, quickly dismissing the change of attire.

"Good morning to you, too, Edward," I said, returning a smile.

"Good morning," Seth blurted out cheerfully, waving at Edward as if he was an old friend that he hadn't seen in ages.

"And, you must be Seth," Edward said, smiling down at my son as we walked over to where he stood.

Flabbergasted at Edward's revelation, his big brown eyes grew huge, and his mouth drew open in an O. "How do you know my name?" he asked, and then he turned to look at me, his eyes narrowed in confusion. "Mom, how does he know my name?"

Edward and I both laughed, amused at Seth's reaction. I was about to tease him that Edward had mind reading abilities, but Edward spoke up before I had the chance.

"I was here with my son the other day. Your mom mentioned your name. She also told my son, Ben, that you might like to have him come over sometime to play. Would you like that?"

"Mm hmm," Seth said as he nodded.

Seth had never shown much interest in anyone before; because of this I was enjoying the friendly banter between the two of them. A quick glance at my watch reminded me that we were running late. Reluctantly, I placed a hand on Seth's shoulder and said, "We'd better get a move on, or you're going to miss the bus."

"Okay, bye Edward," Seth said.

"Bye, Seth. Have fun at school."

"I'll be back just as soon as I get this little one on the bus," I said as took hold of Seth's hand. As we started walking to my car, I called over my shoulder. "There's a fresh pot of coffee in the kitchen. The mugs are in the cupboard above the coffee-maker. Help yourselves."

When I got back to the house, Edward and his workers were busy ripping the old shingles off the roof. Having not seen his employees when they got out of the truck, I hadn't noticed that they were Hispanic. It became obvious when I heard them speaking to Edward in Spanish.

I smiled. None of them knew that I also spoke their language. Growing up in Fuquay Varina, North Carolina, I had come to know quite a few of the migrant workers who came each year to work for one of our neighbors in his tobacco fields. I worked with them one summer when I was sixteen, and I learned quite a bit of Spanish listening to them talk while they worked. Once I memorized a word, I would ask them what it meant in English. It wasn't long before I was speaking full sentences. What I didn't learn from them, I learned at school when I signed up for Spanish as one of my elective courses. It's true what they say, it's beneficial to learn a second language, because I never would have known what was being said about me if I hadn't. And if what I heard them say was true, I now knew why he wore his work-clothes to the house.

"Jefe, por qué no la invita a salir? Todos sabemos que usted la quiere, porque la única vez que usted trabaja con nosotros es cuando nos estamos quedando atrás en un trabajo. Y acabamos de comenzar este trabajo, así que ...The tallest of the three men said to Edward as he pointed his thumb to the man standing beside him. Translated this meant, "Boss, why don't you ask her out? We know you like her, because the only time you work with us is when we're falling behind on a job. And we just started this job, so..."

This seemed to make the third, older man angry. He shot Edward a look that I couldn't decipher, and then turned to face the taller guy. His eyes narrowed in anger, he shouted, "Bastantes, vuelven trabajar."

Eavesdropping was wrong, but I'm glad that I listened in on their conversation. From what the man had said, there was a good possibility that Edward wasn't married. I chanced a quick glace up at Edward, and noticed that his face was flushed from what I assumed was embarrassment. _Why didn't Edward say something to him? I'd be damned if I would take that from one of my employees._ Edward turned his head my way, and our eyes met. _Shit!_ My blush now matching his, I waved at him shyly, before heading back into the house. I prayed with each step that I took that he hadn't figured out I understood everything they had said.

I didn't know what that older man's problem was, but I didn't like it one bit. The guys hadn't even been talking to or about him that day. Because of his outburst, Edward barely said more than a 'good morning' or 'goodbye' to me for the next three days.

I awoke Friday morning to a beautiful, sunny day; not a cloud in the sky. After getting Seth off to school, a morning such as this would have normally been spent out on the deck, drinking a cup of coffee and reading the daily paper. But, not today. I didn't want to be the cause of anymore strife between Edward and his employees. Instead, I spent the better part of the day packing Shelly's belongings into boxes and storing them in the attic.

As I set the last of the boxes on the floor, I heard the loud clanking of hammers beating against nails as they were driven through the shingles on the roof over my head This was a signal that Edward's crew was hard at work.

Relieved at finally having finished my task, I let out a sigh as I wiped the sweat from my forehead. "Phew" My whole body was sweating; I really needed a shower. So, I ran down the stairs to my bedroom on the second floor, grabbed a fresh change of clothes from my dresser, and headed into my bathroom to take a shower.

Stepping out of the shower, I wrapped a towel around my torso. I walked out of the bathroom, and over to the bed where I had left my clothes. Letting the towel drop to the floor, I grabbed my bra. When I slid my arm through the strap, my eyes grew wide with shock. Standing on the ladder outside my window was Edward, the look on his face mirroring my own. Letting out a gasp, I quickly spun around, away from the window.

No sooner had I turned around, than I heard what sounded like a thump. I looked back over my shoulder to see if Edward was still watching me. When I saw he wasn't there, realization hit me. I put on my shirt and shorts as fast as I could and then ran to the window. Opening it, I stuck my head out and looked down to see Edward sprawled across the grass. "Oh, my god! Don't move. I'll be right down!"

I was down the stairs and around to the front of the house to where Edward was lying in a matter of seconds, worrying the whole time that he had been seriously hurt. "Hey, I'm supposed to be the clumsy one around here," I giggled. He seemed to be alright, but I needed reassurance from him. Kneeling down before him, I asked, "Are you all right? You don't think anything's broken, do you?"

'I'm fine. I lost my footing on the ladder, but other than bruising my pride, I think everything is fine." Edward laughed, and then looked up to meet my gaze. "You know, the peep-show was nice, but if you wanted me to ask you out, all you had to do was ask."

My cheeks burned red. "Is that what you thought? That I planned for you to catch me like that? Oh god, Edward, I'm so sorry," I said as I tried to stand up.

Edward reached out, and grasped my wrist. When I turned to look at him, he gave me a look that conveyed all the tenderness he felt for me in that moment. "Bella, I'm sorry. That was a stupid thing to say. I was only hoping that maybe, it would lighten the mood a little. I know how embarrassing that must have been for you. But, since I brought it up, would you like to go out with me tomorrow night for dinner?"

"Tomorrow night?" I asked, and Edward nodded. "We hardly even know each other and you want to take me out on a date?"

Edward laughed, finding humor in what I'd said. "How else would you propose I get to know you better?" he asked, raising a brow.

He was right; it had just been so long since anyone had asked me out. But then I thought about my son. "What about Seth? I don't think I can get a sitter on such short notice."

"Bring him with you, and I'll bring Ben, too. They can chaperone to make sure you keep your hands to yourself," he said with a wink.

My life had been so full of sorrow for such a long time. But, if today was a sign of times to come, things were finally looking up. Unable to contain my smile, I said, "No, promises, but I'll do my best."

His answering smile lit a ray of hope and I couldn't wait until tomorrow tonight. I would get to know Edward better.

"Oh, before I forget," he said, pushing himself up off the ground. "I have those plans I promised you in the truck." Edward took hold of my hand and asked me to walk with him. "So," he began as he turned to look at me. "Where would you like to go for dinner on our date?"

From the moment I first laid eyes on Edward, I was attracted to him. Less than a week later, here he was, asking me where I wanted to have dinner with him tomorrow night. To say that I was happy would have been an understatement. I was ecstatic. Unable to contain my smile, I said, "Hmm, since the boys will be with us, I think we should go someplace kid-friendly. Do you and Ben like seafood? Seth loves popcorn shrimp."

Edward nodded. "We both love seafood. Where do have in mind?"

"How do you feel about Red Lobster?"

"Red Lobster sounds delicious."

Stopping at his truck, he opened the door and picked up a grey cylinder off of the seat. "Come with me." He motioned with his index finger towards the front of the vehicle, and I followed him. Spreading the plans out on the hood, he said, "Tell me what you think."

As he went over the details laid out in the plans, I noticed that all of the clatter from before had ceased. Chancing a quick glance at the roof, I realized that Edward and I were alone. "Where's your crew?" I asked, looking back at Edward.

"Eleazar took the boys home in the van." Edward's lips spread into a wide smile. "We finished up the roof not long before I fell from the ladder. I'm just glad they had already gone when I did. They'd never let me live it down."

"At least you weren't caught in your birthday suit." Blush singed the skin of my cheeks.

"And, what a beautiful birthday suit it is." Edward winked, causing my blush to deepen. Sensing my discomfort, he decided to change the subject. "So, do you like what we came up with for the remodel?"

"We?"

"My brother, Emmett, is the architect for Cullen Construction and Remodeling. I gave him the specifics and he drew up the plans."

"Your company must be doing well, if you have your own architect," I said as I leaned my back against the front of his truck, eager to hear more.

Edward laughed. "We don't do too badly, but Emmett is actually a freelance architect. He does work for quite a few contractors in the Triad." Resting his arms on the hood, he asked, "So, do you like the design we came up with?

Returning my gaze to the document, I said, "It's as if you saw the images in my mind and projected them on to the blueprints," I said, running my fingers across the paper. "I love it! When will you be able to start?"

"I'd like to tell you Monday morning, but I still have about a week's worth of work left on another project that we started before we did your roof. We ran out of lumber, but the shipment came in this morning. Once we finish up there, we'll be able to begin on your house. At the latest, we should be back here no later than a week from Tuesday."

As I opened my mouth to reply, I heard the bus pulling to a stop at the house down the street. "I'm sorry, Edward, but I need to go. I always meet Seth at the end of driveway after school."

"That's fine, I should get home myself. I'll be here to pick you and Seth up at six o'clock tomorrow night," he said, and then he leaned in, leaving a chaste kiss on my cheek before hopping into his truck.

"See you tomorrow." As I turned around to walk to my car, I smiled, placing my hand over my cheek where he had just kissed it.

**A/N I didn't know this at the time of writing the one shot that you should add translations in the author announcements. I already explained in the one paragraph what the first few lines meant, but jsyk, "Bastantes, vuelven trabajar." Translated, means, "That's enough, get back to work."**


	4. Chapter 4

All characters belong to SM, but the plot belongs to me. Please don't steal.

**BPOV**

After helping Seth with his homework, cooking dinner, washing dishes and putting them away, I was utterly exhausted. Wanting nothing more than to take a hot shower and slip in-between the cool, crisp sheets of my bed, I walked into the living room to get Seth. He was lying on the floor with his sketch pad opened up in front of him, drawing pictures. I leaned over to get a closer look. Seth had drawn a picture of the two of us, standing in front of the house, a puppy between us. Seth loved dogs, but since Shelly was allergic, he wasn't allowed to have one. Reaching out my hand to him, I said, "Come on, Seth. Let's get you in the tub and ready for bed."

Seth looked up at the window and back at me. "But it's still light outside."

"I know it is, sweetie…but Mama's really tired." He grabbed hold of my hand, and I pulled him up off the floor.

"Mom?" Seth asked, with an inquisitive look on his face as he stepped into the tub.

"Yes?"

"Is this our house now?"

"It is." I nodded with a smile.

"And we never, ever have to move, and we can do what we want from now on?" he asked without taking a breath.

Raising a curious brow I said, "Pretty much, why do you ask?"

With pleading eyes Seth asked, "Can we get a dog?"

"Maybe. Let me think about it first, okay?" I replied, unsure. Having a dog was a big responsibility and I wanted to think about the pros and cons of owning a dog before I made my decision.

"Okay," he answered, and then he lay back in the water to rinse the shampoo from his hair.

Having put it off all day, I decided that Seth's bath time was as good a time as any to broach the subject of my date with Edward tomorrow night. The fact that Edward was bringing his son along with him and I was bringing Seth with me made it a little easier, because I didn't even have to refer to it as a date. It was more like new friends getting together to learn more about each other. Seth didn't seem too concerned about whom we were to be dining with, but he was happy as a clam when I told him we were going to Red Lobster. From the first time I had taken him there, it had been his favorite place to eat.

As I tucked him in bed, I kissed him on the forehead. "Good night, sweetheart," I said, turning off the light and closing the door.

You would think, as tired as I was, I would have fallen asleep right away, but that wasn't the case at all. The moment my head hit the pillow, I began thinking about my date with Edward tomorrow night. I was both excited and nervous at the same time. I was excited, because I hadn't been out on a date in almost seven years. That's not to say that I didn't want to date, but raising my son and taking care of Shelly left little time for socializing with people my own age. In fact, the only people I did see on a regular basis were my mom and dad, Renee and Charlie, and my two best friends, Rosalie Hale, and her brother, Jasper. I was nervous because, other than the fact that Edward was a contractor who had a son, I knew absolutely nothing about him. Was he divorced, and if so, for how long? Was he widowed, and if so, how long had it been since she passed away? Would our children get along? My mind was filled with an endless river of questions, and I didn't think that I would ever get to sleep. At some point, I must have drifted off because the next thing I knew, two small hands were pushing against my arm.

"Mama, wake up. I'm hungry," Seth announced.

Groaning, I slowly rolled over. As I opened my eyes, I was momentarily blinded by the brilliant shimmering light of the sun as it shone though my bedroom widow. "What time is it?" I asked, throwing my right hand over my eyes to shield them from the glare as I looked over at the clock on my nightstand. "Nine-thirty," I groaned, flopping back down on the mattress, silently praying for the days when Seth would appreciate sleeping in late on the weekends.

"Mom," he pleaded, shoving harder. "Get up!"

"Okay, okay, I'm awake. Go downstairs, and let me get dressed. I'll be down in a minute."

Sighing, Seth walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Grudgingly, I lifted myself from the bed. Digging through the dresser, I put on an old t-shirt and a comfortable pair of jeans, before heading downstairs to make breakfast.

As we sat at the kitchen table eating our pancakes, Seth asked, again, if we could get a dog. I wasn't opposed to the idea; quite the contrary, I loved dogs. My Mom brought home a mutt that someone had abandoned by the side of the road when I seven. I wasn't sure what other breeds he was mixed with, but I knew he had a bit of Pekingese in him, because he had a flat snout. I named him Gizmo. He died of old age when I was sixteen. My main concern was that I didn't know which breed was best suited for children. As I was explaining this to him, there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it!" Seth jumped up and ran to answer the door.

"Hi, Aunt Rose!" From the sound of his voice, I could tell he had a smile on his face as he greeted her. Rosalie wasn't Seth's biological Aunt, but she loved him as if he were her own child. There were times I wondered if he didn't love her more than he loved me. Rose and I had been best friends since the first grade. When I found out I was pregnant with Seth, I asked her and her brother, Jasper if they would take on the role of godparents. They both agreed, but Rosalie pointed out the fact that the three of us were more like family than friends— they wanted to be more than that. They've been Aunt Rose and Uncle Jasper ever since.

"Where's your mom?" Rose inquired.

"She's in the kitchen. Mom, Aunt Rose is here!" Seth yelled, his excitement evident in the tone of his voice. "Where's Uncle Jasper?"

"He's outside. We have a surprise for you in the back of the truck. Why don't go out there and see what we got for you?"

"Rose," I scolded, dragging her name out. She and Jasper were always buying things for Seth without asking for my approval. It wasn't that I didn't buy him toys, but the presents they gave him were always too extravagant. There was no way I could afford the gifts they bought for him, but my six year old son couldn't comprehend that fact. He just thought that mommy was being mean, and that in turn made me feel like crap. Every mother wants to buy their children everything they ask for, but that doesn't mean it's the right thing to do. I wanted to teach my son that things aren't always handed to us. If we had to work for what we wanted, we valued it so much more. Placing the last pancake on the plate, I wiped my hands on the dish rag and walked into the living room where she stood with her hands on her hips and a huge smile on her face.

"Don't you start with me, Bella," she began, her smile still firmly in place. "There's nothing wrong with buying him a present every now and then."

I shook my head and sighed. "You and Jasper are going to spoil him. You do realize that, don't you?"

"I do," she said, sliding her arm around my shoulder. "But that's what Aunts and Uncles are supposed to do." I couldn't believe that Rose hadn't already settled down to start a family of her own. Rose was a beautiful person, inside and out, and she was great with kids. Her blonde hair fell in waves across her shoulders, and her eyes were a light, violet blue. I had asked her once why she never married and she replied that it wasn't for a lack of proposals. Though she wanted children more than anything, she would never get married to a man she didn't love.

"Now, come with me. You have to see what we got him!" Excited, she gave my arm a little squeeze before leading me outside.

"Momma, look," Seth squealed when he turned his head and saw me as I rounded the corner of the house. He was standing in front of a kneeling Jasper, blocking my view from what he was holding in his hands.

Curious, my eyes narrowed as I walked closer. One glance toward the back of Jasper's truck and their gift was no longer a surprise. Nestled in the bed of the truck was a well crafted dog house. Turning to look at Rose, I asked, "You didn't?"

"You're not mad, are you?" she asked, her eyes pleading. "I know if Shelly wasn't allergic, you'd have gotten a dog a long time ago."

"No, I'm not mad." It was the truth. I had already planned on getting a dog for Seth. I had only told him I needed to think about it in order to buy myself a little time. Having read so many articles online about children being attacked by dogs, I just wanted to do a little research first on which breeds were best suited for small children. Knowing Rose as well as I did, I was sure she would have taken the same precautions before getting this dog for Seth.

"But, for future reference, could you at least ask me if it's okay _before_ you buy him something? Especially something "LIVING."

"Deal." She smiled. "Come on, you have to see him. He's precious." As we walked back to the truck, I glanced over to see that Seth and Jasper where now sitting on the grass playing with the puppy. He sure was a cute little dog.

"Is he a mixed breed?" I inquired. He looked like he had some Golden Labrador in him.

"He is. The woman down at Animal Rescue said he's a Golden Retriever, Labrador mix."

Squatting down beside Seth, I asked, "Have you picked out a name for him yet?"

A huge smile spread across Seth's face as looked at Jasper and then me. "Uncle Jasper said when he was a little boy, he had a dog named Gambit. Can I name him Gambit, too?"

"He's your dog, you can name him whatever you want to. Can I hold him for a minute?" I asked. Seth nodded, and I gently took Gambit from him and stood up to pet him.

"Come help me find a spot to put his house." Jasper put his arm around Seth's shoulder and they disappeared around to the back of the truck.

Gambit was shivering as I held him. "Poor little baby," I cooed. "It's going to take some time getting used to all this attention, isn't it?"

"Hey," Rose said, jabbing her elbow into my rib cage as she eyed my baggy t-shit and torn blue jeans. "I hope you plan on changing your clothes." I always dressed for comfort unless I had someplace to go. She knew this.

After a quick glance at my shirt, I asked, "What's wrong with my clothes?"

"I think Angela might appreciate it if you didn't show up at her party looking like a hobo," she said, gesturing at my attire.

"That's not until next Saturday," I said, confused. We met Angela in our sophomore year of high school. Her father moved his family here from Florida after he got a job at Research Triangle Park. Angela was very pretty, but really shy, and she mostly kept to herself. That all changed the day two girls shoved her up against her locker. Rose hated an unfair fight; so when she saw that Angela was being ganged up on as she was walking down the hall to get to her English class, she decided to step in and even the odds. One punch from Rose into the eye of one girl sent the other scurrying down the hall in tears. Soon after that, Rose introduced Angela to me and the three of us had been close friends ever since. Angela's birthday was the following Saturday, and her husband, Mike, was throwing a party for the occasion. All of her friends and family would be there.

"Ah, no," she began. "It's today. Don't you remember? They wanted to have it the week before her birthday, because Mike's mom booked a cruise as a gift for her birthday. The ship sails Friday morning, the day before her birthday."

"Oh, crap," I said. I had been so excited when Edward asked me out that it had completely slipped my mind that the party was this Saturday instead of the next. Sweat was beginning to bead on Rose's forehead, so we walked back into the house and I told her all about Edward, and how he had invited Seth and me out for dinner that night. I really wanted to go out with Edward, but at that point, he was nothing more than an acquaintance while Angela was one of my best friends. It was a no-brainier that I would choose her birthday party over a date with him. Pulling my cell phone from my back pocket, I flipped it open to call Edward and cancel our date.

"Are you calling Mike to tell him you can't make it for Angela's party?" Rose asked.

"No. I'm calling Edward to cancel our date. I'm sure he'll understand," I replied.

Snatching the phone from my hand, she closed it and then said, "Bella, don't cancel your date. Invite him to come along with us."

"Do you think Mike and Angela would mind if I invited him?" I asked, plopping down on the sofa.

Taking a seat beside me, Rose said, "I don't see why they would. Angela said that James is bringing his girlfriend ."

"James has a girlfriend?" I asked in wide eyed disbelief. I had met James three years ago at one of Mike's barbeques. He was a good looking guy; tall, with blonde hair that was cut short, and he had a killer physique, the result of daily workouts at the gym. He also had a great personality, but the fact that I'd never seen him with anyone but our mutual friends had led me to believe he was gay.

_I guess I was wrong about James._

Rose went on to say that Angela didn't know too much about the girl, except that her name was Carmen; she was separated from her husband, and she had a son who was around the same age as Seth.

After a leisurely morning talking with Rosalie, a quick glance at the clock made me aware that I only had a little over an hour to get Seth and myself ready if we were going to Angela's afternoon pig-pickin', instead of the restaurant for dinner. Needing to call Edward about the change of plans, and wanting a little privacy to do so, I excused myself, walking into the kitchen. My stomach was tied up in knots as I punched his number into the cordless phone. I really didn't want to disappoint Edward, but Angela was one of my best friends. So I had no choice but to choose going to her party over dinner with him.

Thankfully, things turned out perfectly. Edward said he and Ben would be more than happy to accompany us to the cook out, and he didn't mind that it meant our date would begin earlier than planned.

"Yes! He's coming with us to the Pig Pickin'!" I exclaimed, pumping my fist in the air as I walked into the living room.

-x-x-x-

It's surprising how quickly time passes by when you are trying to get ready for a date. After taking a shower and applying make-up, I was running around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to find the perfect clothes to wear. I must have tried on at least fifteen different blouses, before finally deciding on a midnight green camisole with spaghetti straps and a pair of skinny jeans. If it wasn't for Rose, Seth and I would not have been ready by the time Edward and Ben arrived. While I was running back and forth between my bedroom and the bathroom, she was helping Seth get his clothes on.

After introductions, we drove over to Angela's house. Looking over my shoulder to check on Seth in back seat, I smiled. He and Ben we playing a game on Ben's Nintendo DSi, and they seemed to be getting along quit well.

"I don't think Jasper likes me," Edward said, drawing my attention away from the boys.

"What gives you that I idea?" I asked, concerned. Jasper had been polite when I introduced the two of them. He wasn't overly talkative, but that was normal for Jasper. He was never one to open up until he got to know someone. Once he did, if he liked you, you couldn't get him to shut up. "Did he say something to you when I left the room?"

"No, he didn't say anything out of line," he said and then hesitated, contemplating whether he should continue. "Let's just put it this way. If looks could kill, I'd be dead."

My mouth fell agape and my brow furrowed. For as long as I had known Jasper, he had never been anything but cordial to everyone he'd met. I was about to say so when it hit me. Jasper had always been protective of me, and this was the first time since Jacob that I had gone out with anyone. I couldn't help but laugh.

"Do you find that funny?" he asked, raising a brow.

"I'm sorry. It's just…I haven't been out with anyone since Seth's father, and maybe he thinks you have less than noble ideas about our date?" I said, not being able to come up with a better explanation. "Jasper's kind of protective of me." I didn't know if Jasper had a problem with Edward or not, but I was sure as hell going to ask him when I had the chance.

Satisfied with what I'd said, Edward let the matter drop.

When we arrived at Angela's, the party was in full swing, the yard was littered with people. Most of them I knew, but there were a few people there that I had never met before. As I opened the door, my nose was struck with the tantalizing aroma of the savory vinegar-based sauce as it roasted into the pig on the grill; my mouth started watering. Mike made the best barbeque sauce I had ever tasted.

When Seth spotted a group of kids playing in the back yard; he grabbed Ben by the hand and ran off to join them. "Stay in the yard!" I yelled after him.

"Would you mind giving me a hand?" Edward asked. I followed him around to the back of the SUV. He pulled the hatch open and handed me a case of beer. I looked up and saw that Rose and Jasper were already here. Rose was standing up on the deck with Angela, pointing in our direction.

"Hey, girl," Angela shouted. Clutching Rose's hand, they descended the steps and started walking toward us.

"That's Angela. Come on, I'll introduce you to her."

"Rose didn't do him justice. He's gorgeous, Bella,' Angela whispered in my ear after pulling me into her embrace. Releasing me, she stepped back and offered her hand to Edward. "I'm Angela Newton. It's nice to meet you."

Taking her hand in his, he said, "Edward Cullen. It's nice to meet you as well."

As we made our way through the sea of people, Angela introduced Edward to our friends. She was in the middle of presenting him to Tyler Crowley when, from across the lawn, a woman's voice shrieked, "Edward, what are you doing here?" Almost in unison, Rose and Angela turned around to the sound of her voice, and I soon followed suit.

Upon recognition, Edward jerked his head around in the direction of the voice. Dazed, I stared at him; all color drained from his face, leaving the pallor of his skin a ghostly white. Returning his gaze to me, in a panic stricken tone, he said, "Bella, I am so sorry. Of all places, I never expected to see her here."

A sick feeling crept into my stomach and my brow creased with worry. I didn't know what it was that he hadn't told me, but instinct told me that it wasn't good. "Who is she, Edward? And why is she here?"

His voice cracked when he said, "She's my wife."

**Pig Pickins' have been a staple of church fundraisers, family reunions and political rallies in the South since long before the Civil War. The trick is to cook the whole pig, but butterflied so it lies flat on the grill, at a low temperature for hours - pit masters often stay up all night tending the cooker - until the meat becomes so tender it nearly falls of the bone. **

**I thought I'd take a moment to pimp another one of my favorite ff stories. Under the Apple Tree, written by Danieller123.**

**Summary: Love that hurts can sometimes heal. Ever wish you could go back and change something you did in life? Bella does.**


	5. Chapter 5

**All things Twilight belong to SM, but this plot belongs to me. Please don't steal it.**

**Special thanks to my two beta's ruthperk and kimmydonn. Without them, my chapters would be a complete mess.**

**BPOV**

"You're married?" I asked, keeping my voice barely above a whisper. Had we been anywhere else, I would have been shouting at Edward. Having just learned that I was on a date with a married man, I was embarrassed. Screaming would have announced that fact to the entire crowd; having them know would have only furthered my humiliation.

"Okay. I think that's my cue to leave," Rose said to all of us. She leaned in and pressed her lips to my hair, whispering, "If you need me, I'll be over by the cooler." And then, like a bat out of hell, she was gone. I wasn't worried though, because I knew that she would be keeping her eyes on us. if I needed her, she'd have my back.

On the other hand, Angela stood frozen, staring at me with a perplexed look on her face. Shaking herself out of her trance, she glanced at Edward, then turned her head to look at his wife. When I followed Angela's line of vision, my eyes met with those of Edward's wife.

She was attractive., but not in a high-maintenance way. She had a natural beauty that would definitely cause men to turn their heads in passing. Her chestnut hair hung just below the shoulders, emphasizing the earthy tone of her flawless complexion. She wore skinny jeans and a form fitting tank top that hugged her ample breasts and accentuated her curves.

"Separated," he announced. "Our divorce is final in two months."

"What's the matter? The private detectives you hired weren't enough, so you've decided to follow me yourself?" she questioned. Her chocolate brown eyes appraised me as she walked up to us, stopping directly in front of Edward.

"It's nice to see you too, Carmen," Edward said, rolling his eyes at her. "And this really isn't the place to be discussing this, wouldn't you agree?" Edward asked, scanning the guests within earshot. Thankfully, they were too engaged in conversations with each other to notice the little drama playing out before them.

"Who's your friend?" she asked, inclining her head toward me.

"Carmen, this is Bella Swan. Bella, this is Carmen." As we shook hands, I saw Angela in my peripheral vision, picking at her cuticles; a sure sign that she was nervous.

"Excuse me," Angela began. "I need to check on something in the kitchen." Nodding, she turned around and headed back to the house. Angela hated being witness to an argument. She'd told me once that any heated dispute brought back bad memories of rows her parent would get into when she was a small child. At one point, their squabbles became so intense that her mom and dad separated for a few months. Her mom had even filed for a divorce. In the end, they found they couldn't live one without the other, and they worked things out. From the scowls on both Edward's and Carmen's faces and the tone of their voices, I was sure she thought their conversation would soon be headed in that direction and she wanted no part of it.

Great.

I didn't want to be there anymore than Angela did; I felt like I was intruding. What was said between him and his wife was none of my business. Edward wasn't my boyfriend. At that point, I wasn't sure if he ever would be. Even if he was in the midst of a divorce, he was still married and I didn't much like the thought of being the other woman. It made me feel cheap and somewhat dirty.

"I'll leave you two to talk in private. Carmen, it was nice to have met you," I said before turning to Edward. "We'll talk later," I said, turning around and following Angela back to the house.

"How could I have been so stupid?" I asked, opening the refrigerator door and grabbing a bottle of beer. I almost never drank alcohol; I hated the taste, but my whole body was one big bundle of nervous. Since beer was a depressant, it was just what I needed to calm me down. Popping the top, I held my nose and took a big gulp, wincing as I swallowed.

Yuck.

"Bella, it's not your fault that he didn't tell you he had a wife. Besides, it's like he said, their divorce will be final in two months," Angela said, trying her best to reassure me that I wasn't a complete idiot.

It wasn't working.

"Yeah, and he still has two months to change his mind about said divorce. For God's sake, Angela, they have a child. I don't want to fall for someone and then have him decide, right before the divorce is final, that he wants to make his marriage work for his son's sake."

"I don't think you need to be worrying about that, Bella." I jumped at the sound of Mike's voice. I hadn't heard him walk up behind me.

I turned around to look at him and asked, "Why shouldn't I be worried, Mike? Look at Angela's parents." I gestured to Angela. "They filed for a divorce too, but they didn't go through—"

"That's different, Bella." Angela said, cutting me off.

I leaned back against the counter and chugged down the remaining amber liquid, tossing the empty container in the trash can. I looked Angela dead in the eye and asked, "Please tell me, how is it different?" I knew I was grasping at straws, but in that moment I realized I was searching for justification to continue seeing Edward; I really liked him.

For the past six years and four months, I had lived my life for others. First for Seth, and then, after Mr. Cope hired me to take care of his wife, she was added to the mix. Don't get me wrong, I loved my son; I also grew to love Shelly, but I longed for a relationship with a man. I missed the intimate moments shared between two lovers. Soft, tender kisses against my eye lids when he thought I was sleeping. I missed being woken in the middle of the night to the sensual feeling of a man's hands as they caressed my skin when he wanted to make love.

Angela turned her head toward Mike, arching a brow as if she was seeking his approval to continue. He nodded and she returned her attention to me. "It's different because, my parents were always faithful to one another."

"Edward cheated on his wife?" I asked, silently praying that it was his wife who had an affair and not him. If he would cheat on her, there was no guarantee that he wouldn't do the same to me.

"Edward wasn't the one who cheated." Mike's voice was calm and steady.

_Thank god for that, _I thought and then realization hit me. "Oh. My. God. She had an affair with James, didn't she?"

Mike nodded.

"Bella, I had no idea who her husband was. If I had known it was Edward, I would have told you the minute I saw him with you," Angela said, a solemn look on her face.

"All we know is what James told us," Mike offered.

"Which is?" I inquired, raising a brow in anticipation.

Angela pulled a chair out from under the table and sat down. Patting the seat beside her, she asked me to have a seat. As I sat down, Mike poked his head around the corner of the doorway of the kitchen. Once he saw that the coast was clear, he took a seat across from me.

"Remember when James bought his house two and a half years ago?" Mike asked.

"Yeah, what does that have to do with Carmen?" I requested, staring at him as I impatiently awaited his reply, but quickly turned my attention to Angela when she spoke up instead.

"That's how they met," Angela began, lowering her gaze to her hands in her lap as she picked at her cuticles. I shot her a pointed glare and cleared my throat. When she raised her head to look at me, she smiled. Folding her arms across her chest, she continued, "Carmen was his real-estate agent. James said it wasn't long before their relationship progressed from professional to physical."

Though I hadn't known Edward that long, I had learned a few things about him since we'd met. He definitely liked kids; I could tell by the way he interacted with his son. He was nice, considerate of others feelings, and he made me laugh. It didn't hurt that he was fine as hell, either. Good hard working men, who loved kids, were hard to find and I couldn't wrap my head around the fact that his wife let him get away.

As I thought about it, I realized that I was going on my first impression of Edward, but people are always different from when you first meet them. Once they get comfortable, they slowly shed that protective outer layer and their true nature begins to shine through. What if their separation was somehow Edward's doing? Maybe he had had an affair first, and she had one to get even with him? Or, worse, maybe he was physically abusive, which caused her to seek comfort in the arms of another man? Just thinking about it made my head spin, but I wanted to know either way, so I asked, "Was the affair the reason they split up, or were there other problems in their marriage?"

Mike opened his mouth to speak, but then snapped it shut, nodding toward the doorway.

"Mom, I'm starving," Seth announced. Ben stood beside him, quiet as a mouse. Ben's hands were pressed tightly against his belly, in what I could only assume, was his way of agreeing with Seth's statement. "When are we gonna eat?"

Mike stood from the table, and placed one hand on Seth's shoulder, the other on Ben's. "I'm not sure if the pork is ready yet, but I bet we can round up a couple of hot dogs for you boys. What do you think?"

After Mike took the boys outside, Angela leaned closer and placed a reassuring hand on my knee. "Mike and I only know what James has told us and from what he's said, she wasn't physically harmed."

"Thanks, Angela," I said, giving her hand a light squeeze.

When I moved to stand up, Angela tugged on my hand. "Listen," she said, "I can tell that you really like this guy. From the way he was looking at you out there in the yard, I believe he likes you too. Why don't you let Seth spend the night with Mike and me? And if it's all right with Edward, Ben can stay the night as well. That way, you and Edward can sit down and talk about this in private."

"I don't know if he'll agree to Ben spending the night," I said, slowly shaking my head. "But, I'll ask him."

"Good. Now, come on, let's go get something to eat," she said, pulling me up when she stood.

Nothing had been resolved by the conversation we had just had, but the calm in Angela's voice when she spoke had somehow calmed my nervousness. That is, until we walked out of the house and I saw Edward. He was standing at the bottom of the steps, looking up at me with an abashed expression on his face. A fresh wave of panic overtook me, causing my whole body to shiver. _It's not like he's going to bite._ I took a deep breath to calm myself and made my way down the steps to where he stood.

"Hi," I breathed. I glanced up at him, briefly before turning my gaze to my feet.

"Bella, I am so sorry. I swear I was going to tell you. I…we…" Edward shook his head and sighed in frustration.

"We haven't had the chance to talk without other people around?" I asked, hoping that was what he was trying to say. As I said the words, I realized how true they were.

"Yes," he breathed and then he hooked a finger under my chin, lifting my head until our eyes met. "So, you're not angry at me?" he asked.

As I stood there mapping his face, recording each line, I saw what looked like hope in his eyes, and my tension eased. "Taken aback is more like it. I had assumed you were a widower."

Caught up in the moment, it had completely slipped my mind that Angela was standing beside me. When she cleared her throat, my eyes met hers and I felt the blush as it colored my cheeks. She offered a nod to Edward before turning to me, a smile was on her face when she said, "I'll be over by the grill if you need anything."

A quick thank you from me and she was gone.

"Edward," I began. "If her being here makes you feel uncomfortable, we can go," I offered. If she was going to be there, I'd just as soon leave. Angela and Mike had always been good to me and I didn't want to be the cause of any trouble at their party. I didn't know how Edward felt about James or vice versa, but if they harbored any ill will against each other, after having a few beers, there was sure to be a fight.

"Actually, Carmen left, so we can stay. If she hadn't, I would have taken you up on the offer," Edward said, with a chuckle. I liked the way his eyes crinkled around the edges.

Surprised at that revelation, my mouth fell agape. "Is everything alright? She seemed really upset that you were here."

"She was, but she'll get over it." Edward shrugged.

"How about Ben? He didn't hear the two of you arguing, did he?" I became more concerned about Ben than Edward. I was pretty sure that he was already having a difficult time living with the fact that his parents were separated. No need to add to that by being a witness to their bickering in front of a group of strangers.

"No, Ben was across the yard playing with Seth at the time."

"Where is Ben?" I asked as I scanned the surrounding area. I saw Seth. He was sitting in a lawn chair, eating a hot dog. Mike was seated beside him, but Ben was nowhere in sight.

"He went home with his mom." It seemed Edward had no problem with Carmen as a mother. When I told him that Seth was spending the night at Angela's, he let out a sigh of relief. Apparently, Rosalie had given him a piece of her mind while Angela and I were in the house talking. Once he had convinced her that he would never hurt me intentionally, she offered to keep our boys for the night to give us time to talk things out. He was saved by Ben asking to spend the weekend with Carmen. "I know that Rosalie is your best friend and I appreciated the offer, but frankly, she scares the hell out of me," he said with a shudder.I laughed as I pictured Rosalie's 5'1" petite frame going up against Edward's 6'2" one. But, to be honest, I wouldn't put it past her to exact revenge on anyone who hurt one of her friends or family members.

"Bella," Rosalie yelled.

When I turned to look at her, she set her full plate of food on the picnic table and placed her hands on her hips.

"Yeah?" I hollered back.

"Are you two going to come and get something to eat, or are you just going to stand there and talk all night?"

"Shall we?" Edward asked, offering his upturnd hand to me.

Placing my hand in his, I said, "Let's."

I wasn't sure were things would stand between Edward and me after our 'talk', but I wasn't going to fret about it. There were no guarantees that every day of my life would be filled with happiness, Jake was proof of that. But for the moment, I was happy just being there with him and my friends. I was going to have a little bit of fun for one night. I'd worry about the rest when the time came.

**My rec for this week is Roman Candle, written by nowforruin.**

**Summary: Expansion of my entry from the "Geekward Shuffle" contest. Edward went to NYU dreaming of a future surrounded by academia. He ended up bartending in Brooklyn. Now he finds himself stuck with a bad job and a bad girlfriend.**

**Like most FF authors, I like reviews. Especially the ones that offer advice on things I need to improve upon. I can't improve if I don't know what needs improving. ;)**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N I am so very sorry that it has taken me so long to get this chapter to you, but Bella and Edward just wouldn't talk to me. I hope this isn't as bad as I think it is. My beta's don't seem to think it is, but they may just be trying to spare my feelings. **

**Edit: I had to come back and give thank my beta's, kimmydonn and ruthperk. Their advise helped make this chapter what it is. kimmydonn helped me trim the fat, so to speak. You two are awesome!**

**BPOV**

Edward gave my hand a gentle squeeze as we walked over to join Rosalie at one of the four picnic tables that decorated the manicured lawn in the back yard. I looked up at him and smiled, before picking up a couple of paper plates and plastic forks.

"That's gross!" I turned my head in the direction of Seth's voice. He was seated across the table from Rosalie, a scowl on his face. Following his line of sight, my gaze landed on the face of the little girl seated next to him and I almost gagged. Her mouth was open wide, revealing a full mouth of half chewed up food.

"You said you wanted some seafood." The little girl said, and then giggled as she pointed to the food in her mouth, a few morsels falling out when she did. I covered my mouth to hide my smile. It was disgusting to look at, but I have to admit that my friends and I used to do the same thing when we were kids.

"Jessica, mind your manners!" her mother scolded.

Jessica snapped her mouth shut and lowered her head in embarrassment, having been publicly reprimanded by her mother.

"Sorry, Mom," Jessica said, picking at the food on her plate.

Placing my hand on Edward's wrist, I said, "Come on, let's go fill our plates." We made our way through the bevy of guests. Once at the grill, Mike placed a serving of BBQ Pork on each of our plates. "Thanks, Mike," I said.

"Thank you," Edward offered with a nod. "It smells delicious."

"I hope you enjoy it. The sauce is an old family recipe," Mike said, his expression exuding pride. The recipe had won four blue ribbons at the state fair in Raleigh. I'd begged him numerous times to give me the recipe, but he said his family forbade him from handing it over to anyone other than family. I wasn't overly disappointed; whenever I had a taste for it, all I had to do was tell Mike and he would whip up a batch for me to take home. "Make sure you try the potato salad," Mike said, pointing to a bowl on the table next to the grill. "Angela made it, and it's delicious!"

"I'll make sure to try it, thanks," Edward said before placing his hand on the small of my back and guiding me to the table. Across one half of the table was a variety of side dishes: Hush puppies, green beans, coleslaw, baked beans, collard greens and Angela's potato salad. The other side was filled with an assortment of desserts. I smiled when I saw that Rosalie had even made a pig pickin' cake. I knew she had made that especially for me. They had always been a favorite of mine.

"This is quite a spread. Did Angela make all of this by herself?" Edward asked as he scooped up a spoonful of potato salad and put it on his plate.

"No," I replied, shaking my head. "Rosalie brought the desserts from her bakery."

"Rosalie owns a bakery?" Edward asked, astonished. I understood his surprise. By all outward appearances, Rosalie didn't seem to be the type of person who would own a bakery.

"Mmm hmm. Delectable Delights. Make sure you save room for her cheesecake pecan pie. It's the best thing I've ever tasted."

"No kidding?" Edward turned to look at me, raising a brow. "My sister, Alice, goes there all the time. She raves about their tiramisu," he proclaimed, placing his plate on the table and taking a seat at the picnic table beside Seth.

I opened my mouth to ask Edward about his sister as I took a seat beside him, but quickly snapped it shut when I caught sight of Heidi standing across the lawn beside Jasper. His arm was around her shoulder and she was rubbing her hand across his chest.

Soon after Jacob and I began dating, Jasper asked her out. Of all the girls in high school that wanted to go out with him, he had chosen her. I wasn't too happy about it, but other than Rosalie, Jasper was the best friend I had and I didn't want to jeopardize our friendship by complaining about his choice in girlfriends.

That didn't mean I had to like it.

"Rosalie," I said, trying to get her attention. She was sitting across the table from me, chatting with Angela.

"Yeah," Rosalie said, turning her head to look at me.

"When did Jasper and Heidi get back together?" I asked, incredulous. The last I had heard from Rosalie, Jasper had broken up with Heidi a couple of weeks ago. I was none too happy seeing her here. She used to torture me in gym class. I was actually happy when I heard she and Jasper had parted ways. When they were together, I did my best to avoid Heidi. The only time I ever saw her was on the few occasions I went to Rosalie's house and she happened to be there. Or, if she and Jasper were at one of the same gatherings I had been invited to. Even then, I wouldn't stay long.

"As far as I know, they aren't together," Rosalie replied.

"It sure looks that way to me." I nodded in the direction Jasper and Heidi stood. Both Edward and Rosalie followed my gaze.

"Oh, good lord." Rosalie sighed. I would have never chosen Heidi for Jasper and neither would Rosalie.

"I take it you don't like Heidi?" Edward asked Rosalie.

Rosalie shrugged.

When Rosalie didn't elaborate further, I leaned over and whispered into Edward's ear. "I'll tell you about Heidi later."

Edward nodded and then continued eating.

I glanced around at all of my friends and sighed. Until now, I hadn't realized how much I had missed getting together with them at gatherings such as this.

I loved working for Shelly, but taking care of her was more than a full-time job, with the exception of the two week vacation once a year.

~Ƹ̵̡Ӝ̵̨̄Ʒ~

At eight pm, the party was still going strong. Even though I was enjoying myself, there were more important things that needed attending to.

Seth's bedtime wasn't until eight-thirty, so I stayed long enough to tuck him into the bed in Angela's guest room. Kissing Seth good-night, I promised him that I would be by early the next morning to pick him up. I then made my way outside and thanked Mike and Angela for a wonderful time and also for letting Seth spend the night with them.

Edward didn't talk much on the drive back to my house. I assumed it was because he was a bit nervous about the conversation that awaited us once we arrived.

"Would you like a cup of coffee?" I asked Edward as we entered the front door of my house.

"Only if you're having some," Edward replied shyly, as he stood stock still in the entryway.

I got the feeling that Edward thought that I was about to scold him. I didn't like it and decided to set his mind at ease.

"Edward, would you please relax? So you had a life before you met me, big deal. I'm not so naive that I hadn't realized that. I just wish you would have told me a little bit about her sooner. That way, it wouldn't have been such a shock running into her tonight at Angela's."

Edward closed the distance between us. Gazing into my eyes, he took my hand in his. "I'm sorry. Like I said before, had I known Carmen was going to be there I would have told you before we left for Angela's." Edward shrugged his shoulders. "I had no idea that James was a friend of yours. I was just as shocked as you were, seeing her there."

"I believe you," I said, reassuringly. "And I'm not angry at you." In truth, I had no right to be upset with him. Sure, he hadn't told me anything about his soon to be ex-wife, but I hadn't revealed anything to him about my past relationship either.

Pulling my hand from Edward's, I said, "Why don't you make yourself comfortable and I'll go put on a pot of coffee?"

"Okay," Edward agreed, taking a seat on the sofa.

I filled the coffee maker and turned it on. While it was brewing, I grabbed two mugs from the cupboards and a spoon from the drawer. "Do you like cream or sugar in your coffee?" I asked, raising my voice so that Edward could hear me.

"Both," Edward said as he entered the kitchen.

I jumped at the sound of his voice.

"I didn't mean to scare you," Edward said with a smile.

"You didn't have to come in here. I would have brought your coffee to you."

"I know, but I was getting lonely out there all by myself," Edward said as his smile grew wider, reaching his eyes. I wanted to reach out and caress the creases that formed at the corner of his eyes.

Not knowing exactly how to reply, I returned his smile and simply said, "Suit yourself."

As I filled the cups, Edward came up behind me and placed his hand on the small of my back. "Let me help you with those."

"Thank you," I replied.

After adding cream and sugar into the mugs, Edward picked up the mugs and followed me into the living room. He gestured for me to take a seat. When I did, he handed me one of the cups, taking a sip from his before placing it down on the coffee table and taking a seat beside me.

Edward's eyes fixated on the crease in his slacks as he collected his thoughts. After a few silent moments passed, he took my hand in his and raised his gaze to look at me. "I think it would be best if I started at the beginning. I guess you could say I was a late bloomer. From first grade up until I was in high school, I was shorter than all of the other kids my age. Even the girls were taller than I was." Edward let out a humorless laugh.

"As if being shorter than everyone else wasn't bad enough, I was also teased by most of the other kids in high school. I never found out who it was exactly, but one of the kids started a rumor. They said that I was a hermaphrodite, because I had androgynous looks. After a while, people started believing it and even the few friends I had started to shy away from me." Edward took his eyes off of me and stared off into space. I assumed he was replaying the memories in his mind. I couldn't picture Edward as having androgynous looks. From his square jaw to his masculine build, everything about him screamed masculine. Yet, I couldn't help but feel bad for him.

"I remember when I was in the ninth grade, I had a huge crush on this girl named Lauren Mallory. She and I were never friends, but she was one of the few people who didn't tease me. My sister Alice knew that I liked her, so she encouraged me to ask her over to our house for dinner one night. It took me a week just to muster up the courage to ask her out. She was polite about it, but she said she had a preference towards guys who were taller than she was.

"Carmen's family moved to town during second semester. She was in the same grade as me and her schedule was the same as mine. It wasn't long before she heard the rumors." A smile light up Edward's face at this point. "Carmen could have chosen to tease me just like all of the other kids were doing. Instead, she came to me and asked if the rumors were true. When I told her that they weren't, she said that she believed me. She also told me that she liked the way I looked. 'There is nothing wrong with being pretty,' she had said. For so long I had felt like I was going to live out the remainder of my life as some kind of social outcast. So you can't imagine how good I felt to finally have someone I could call my friend." Edward's face lit up when he recounted his first encounters with Carmen. I could tell that he still thought fondly of her and it made me wonder what went wrong between the two of them.

"Anyway, by the end of the school year, Carmen and I were more than just friends. We had started dating. She and I were each other's firsts. And up until the time of our separation, she was the only woman I had ever been with." It wasn't lost on me that Edward had said 'up until the time of our separation'. I knew that it wasn't any of my business, but I had always had a nosey nature and it couldn't hurt to ask.

So I did.

"Up until the time of your separation?"

Finding my curiosity humorous, Edward laughed and then said, "Lauren and I dated for a couple of months after Carmen and I split up…but it didn't work out." The tone in Edward's voice made me curious as to what had happened between him and Lauren, but I didn't want to pry anymore than I already had.

Instead, I asked, "Isn't Lauren the girl who politely turned you down in high school?"

"Yeah," he replied simply.

"What made her change her mind about you between then and now?" I inquired, raising a curious brow.

"I'm not exactly sure. But I'd wager a bet that it has something to do with the fact that testosterone kicked in during my last two years in high school. I grew a foot taller, my facial features tightened up, and I grew facial hair." Emphasizing what he'd said, Edward ran his hand across the stubble on his jaw.

I took a sip of coffee and grimaced. It had already gown cold. Setting the cup back on the coffee table, I asked, "What happened between you and Carmen. From what you've just told me, you two seemed to have cared a great deal about each other."

Edward looked at me thoughtfully. "Around three years ago, Carmen came to me and she said that she was bored with her life. She wanted to get a job. I didn't like the fact that Ben would have to enter a day care, but I wanted Carmen to be happy, so I didn't object. Carmen had already attained her real-estate license before Ben was born. She applied for a job at Prescott Real Estate and they hired her on the spot. A couple of months after she started working there, she began coming home later in the evenings then she used to. And then there were times that she claimed she had to go out of town for her job. I didn't believe her. Prescott Real Estate is a small firm that only deals with local real-estate." Edward paused and ran his hands across the stubble on his jaw. "I can't tell you why, call it intuition, but the first thing that came to mind was that Carmen was having an affair, because these 'trips' were always over the weekend."

"Carmen mentioned a private detective, is that how you found out about James?"

"How did you know it was James?" Edward asked, confused.

Shit. Me and my big mouth.

"Mike and Angela told me, after your run– in with Carmen," I said and then continued with, "but that's all they told me, I swear."

Placing his hand on my knee, Edward gazed into my eyes and said, "Just so you know, I have no idea where Carmen got that idea in her head, but I never hired a private detective."

"Then how did you find out that she was having an affair?"

"I waited until the next time that Carmen claimed she had to make one of her weekend trips. She always told me a couple of days ahead of time. When she did, I asked my sister Alice if she would watch Ben. Then, I borrowed a car from one of the guys who worked for me at the time, and I followed her. That's when I saw her with him."

"I'm sorry, Edward." I didn't know what to say.

Edward shook his head. "Don't be. It hurt for a while, but I'm over it now. I still care a great deal for Carmen, and I'm sure in her own way she still cares about me. We just grew apart. Or rather, she grew apart from me."

I couldn't help but wonder if the same thing would have happened between Jake and me if things would have turned out differently.

"Bella?" Edward's voice shook me from my thoughts.

"Yes?"

"Do you mind if I ask you about Seth's father? Is he still involved in Seth's life?"

A wave of shock rushed through me. I had been dreading this moment. After all these years it still cut me to think about what might have been. But Edward had told me about his life with Carmen. The least I could do was to tell him a bit about my life with Jake, as well.

I just prayed that I could keep it together when I did.

**If you are feeling generous,(I hope you are) please leave a review.**


	7. Chapter 7

**All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer.**

**First, I'm sorry that this chapter has taken so long, but I took time out to write a one shot with my beta, Kimmydonn, for the Love Lost contest. I can't tell you which one is ours, because it's an anonymous contest. There are 19 one shots entered so far. Please, check them out. **

**http :/ www****( . )/u/2458839/Love_Lost_Contest If the link doesn't work, I have the contest link listed under my favorite authors. **

**Heartfelt thanks go out to my two awesome beta's. Kimmydonn and ruthperk. I appreciate you more than you know.**

I couldn't even bring myself to look at Edward as I told him about Jake. Instead, I lowered my gaze to the table and picked up my coffee cup. Leaning back against the couch cushions, I stared into the creamy, brown colored liquid inside the mug as my finger slid mindlessly around the rim. "No, Seth's father isn't involved in his life," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. Keeping my eyes fixed on the cup in my hands, I went on to tell him about my time with Jacob. My mind started at the beginning, just as his story had. It started at about the same time in my life, high school.

"That fall, when I had turned seventeen, was unseasonably warm. My parents bought me a car that year, for my birthday. My mom and dad had always been generous to a fault, but they weren't rich. I decided that the least I could do was to get a job, and relieve them the burden of paying for my insurance and gas. After scouring the town for employment, I finally found one, as a cashier at The Food Mart."

Edward smiled encouragingly. "My first job was just about as glamorous."

I recalled how determined I had been to not leave without filling out the application. Although Tanya, the manager, had been with a customer when I had finished, she had caught me before I left to interview me. It had turned out that my lack of experience was an asset in her opinion and I started the next day, training with her assistant manager, Jane.

"It was on my first day of training for the job that I met Jake," I said with a smile.

"Co-worker?" Edward asked.

"Customer."

_When I showed up for work, promptly at three, Jane was standing behind the register, attending to a line of customers. Her long hair was blond was pulled back into a ponytail. Her angelic features and Kewpie doll lips, made her look much younger than I was sure she was._

_Not wanting to be rude by interrupting, I stood to the side, waiting patiently until the last person in line had purchased their items. _

"_Thanks, Jake. It was good seeing you again," Jane said to Jake and I turned my head to look at the guy she was speaking to. When my eyes met his, he smiled, and I was hit with a myriad of emotions that, up until that moment, I had never experienced before. I felt the blood as it rushed to my cheeks, coloring them a fiery red and I suddenly found myself lost in deep pools of chocolate. I couldn't think to move or speak. Just like that old cliché, Jake was tall, dark and handsome._

"I'd been so distracted by him that I didn't even hear Jane, my new supervisor, asking me if I needed anything. I was completely dumbstruck." I shook my head in embarrassment. "But, so was he. When I finally told her who I was and why I was there, she told Jake she would talk to him later and he left."

"_I think Jake likes you. In all the years I've known him, he's never reacted that way to any of the girls who've worked here before. For that matter, he's never reacted that way...period." Jane had said._

Finding it hard to believe, I had shrugged my shoulders. I had had quite a few male friends in high school, but that's all they were...friends. While most of my girlfriends had steady boyfriends, I had never even been on a date. I guess that men just didn't seem to find me attractive in that way. What reason did I have to believe that he would be any different?

"By the end of my first month working at The Food Mart, I had made friends with a few of the regular customers. Jake was one of them. Every evening, he would come into the store and sit on the stool that sat at the end of the bar and chat with me until his mom called him home for dinner. From the talks we had, I learned that Jake had graduate from high school in May of that year. The day after graduation, he began working for his father, down at Black's Auto Repair. Jake made straight A's in school and he could have gone on to college, but ever since he could remember, he enjoyed tinkering with cars, so it was only natural that being a mechanics was his chosen profession.

"I liked everything about Jake. What wasn't there to like? Jake was kind and considerate of others' feelings. He respected his mother and father. My Dad had always told me that you could judge the character of a man by the way he treated his mom. If he was good to her, chances are he would be good to you, too.

"I had begun to hope that Jane's observation was true, that he liked me in _that_ way. But after another two weeks had passed and our relationship still hadn't progressed beyond talking, I gave up all hope. I had resigned myself to the fact that Jake didn't want me as anything more than a friend.

"So you can't imagine how completely and utterly surprised I was when, one night, the following week, Jake returned to see me two hours after leaving to go home. He never did that. Once he had left for home, I wouldn't see him again until the next day I was scheduled to work."

"_Did you forget something?" I asked Jake, dumbstruck, when he walked through the door._

_Shaking his head, he said, "No. I just wanted to talk to you."_

"_Okay, what's up?" I asked, a little more cheerfully than I intended to. I really liked Jake, but I was afraid to let him know that. I thought if he knew that I wanted to be more than just his friend and he didn't feel the same way, he might decide it was better to stay away. I would take being his friend over not seeing him at all._

_A male customer walked through the door and Jake moved to the side and waited until I rang up. After the man left, Jake gave a quick glance a round the store, making sure that no one else was there. _

_Concerned, I placed my hands, palms down, on the counter in front of me and asked, "Is everything all right?"_

_Jake just stood there for a moment, in silence. _

_Worry creased my brow. "Jake, you know you can tell me anything, right? That's what friends are for."_

"_That's just it, Bella," he said, moving his right hand over mine._

_I looked down at his hand and then up at him. Did he not want to be my friend anymore? Just the thought of losing his friendship made my heart race._

"_What do you mean?"_

"_I don't want to be your friend. I want to be more than that."_

_My eyes grew wide and I got the same sensation in my stomach that you get driving fast over a steep hill. I was elated. He wanted me, too._

"_You do?" I asked, surprised._

_Jake nodded his head. "What do you think?"_

_I smiled, shyly. "I think I'd like the same thing...to be more than friends."_

"That night, Jake did something that I hadn't anticipated at all. He leaned across the counter, and kissed me." I blushed even now, talking with Edward. It hadn't even been passionate, just a chaste kiss on the lips, but the memory of it always put a smile on my face.

"You really cared for him, didn't you?" Edward asked, returning my smile.

"I loved him." No sooner had the words passed through my lips, when the fissure in my heart that I thought had long since healed, ripped open and the pain returned with a renewed force. Unable to control the sobs that now wracked my body, I clutched my head in my hands, and began to rock back and forth.

"Oh, Bella," Edward soothed. He slid his arm around my shoulders, pulling me against him and I began to wail even harder against his chest. "I'm so sorry. He left you, didn't her?"

Needing a moment to compose myself, I held up a finger in gesture.

"Yes, but not in the way you're thinking," I finally managed, after a few calming breaths.

"If it's too painful for you, you don't have to talk about it," Edward said as he ran the palm of his hand up and down my arm.

"I just need a minute," I replied, wondering what Edward must be thinking about my little breakdown. I was sure that he had thought that I still harbored feelings for Jake. The truth was that a part of me would always love Jake, but I couldn't keep living in the past.

"Take all the time you need."

_It's been almost seven years, get a hold of yourself. _I mentally reprimanded myself.

Wiping the tears from my eyes with the back of my hand, I pulled away from Edward, settling back against the couch cushions. "I'll be fine. You'd think that after all these years, I'd be over it by now," I said, trying to convince myself more than Edward.

I saw what looked like an expression on pity on Edward's face when I chanced a glance at him. Returning my gaze to the coffee table, I continued on with the story.

"Jake and I had been together for one year already when the State Fair came to Raleigh. We had made plans to go together the first Friday night it opened, but Tanya called me that afternoon and she told me that she needed me to fill in for one of the other employees who had called in sick. I tried my best to get out of it, but Jake told me to go ahead and work. 'We can go tomorrow night' he had said. Then, he kissed me and left to go home while I got ready for work.

"About an hour into my shift, Jake and his youngest sister, Rachael, stopped by the store."

"_Hi, babe," Jake greeted, and then he leaned across the counter and kissed me. _

"_Hi,' I said, and then turned my attention to Rachael. "Hi, Rachael. What are you two up to?"_

"_Well, Jake told me that you ended up having to work tonight, so I asked him if he'd take me to the Fair instead. You don't mind, do you?" Rachael asked in a timid voice._

"_Why don't you just wait and go with us tomorrow?" I asked. _

_Rachael rolled her eyes. "And watch the two of you kissing the whole time? No thanks!"_

_I laughed. _

"_We don't kiss all the time," Jake offered with a grin._

"_Even once is too much for me. Gross!" Although Rachael was fourteen years old, she had never had a boyfriend, so I understood how she might find it a bit uncomfortable seeing her brother and I share a kiss every now and then. _

_Returning my attention to Jake, I asked, "You're still taking me tomorrow, right?"_

"_Of course. We should be back around eight or nine and I'll stop back by here to see you before I go home."_

"_All right, then. See you later," I said._

"_See you later," Jake said, and then kissed me again._

"_Get a room!" Rachael groaned._

"Jake's car was always running out of gas, because the gauge was broken. I must have told him at least a thousand times that he needed to fix it, but I guess it's like the old saying. 'A Mechanic never fixes his own car'.

"I wasn't worried when he hadn't shown up at eight, because he said he might not make it back until nine. But then, nine-thirty rolled around and they still hadn't got back. I began to panic, because Jake always kept his word. I knew that something had happened, I just didn't know what." I looked down at my hands and winced. I had been squeezing my fist together so hard that my nails had cut into the palm of my hand, drawing blood. Flexing my fingers, I let the palms of my hands rest on my lap and continued on.

"I heard it before I saw it." I shook my head, trying to clear the visions that began flashing through my mind, like clips to a movie. "An ambulance raced passed the store with its sirens blaring and lights flashing. It wasn't long after that when Tanya's car pulled into the lot at work. And right behind her was my mom. The minute my mom got out of her car and I saw her face, I knew something terrible had happened.

"Two miles from the store," I whispered, tears streaming down my face. "Jake was just two miles from the store when his car ran out of gas. He told his sister to wait for him in the car. He was going to walk back to the store and borrow my car and go back to pick her up. Then he was going to have me take him back with a gallon of gas, after I got off from work. Jake was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a black T-shirt that night. The man, who hit him, said that he didn't see him walking on the edge of the road."

Raising my head to look at Edward, I said, "Jake never knew about Seth. I didn't find out I was pregnant until two weeks after his funeral."

Edward shook his head, slowly. "I don't know what to say, except, I'm so sorry for your loss."

"Thank you."

"Are you all right?" Edward asked, concerned.

"I'm fine, really. Everyone I know knew Jake, so I've never had to tell them what happened. I guess talking about him brought all those old emotions back to the surface," I explained. I picked up my coffee cup and then grabbed Edward's. "I think I'll have another cup, how about you?"

"Yes, please."

As I moved to get up, Gambit growled. Edward and I both turned our heads toward the sound.

"What in the world?" Edward asked.

"It's probably just a raccoon or a deer," I replied. On more than one occasion, I had seen deer crossing the back yard at night, and the raccoons were notorious for digging though my trash cans in search of food. But Gambit was just a puppy, and the fierceness of his snarl sent a shiver up my spine, making me wonder if something more sinister was lurking in the dead of night outside of my house.

"What the…stay here!" Edward ordered as he jumped up for the sofa and ran toward the door.

"What? Why?" I asked, confused. _Edward must not have a dog_. I thought. If he had, he would have known that dogs bark at everything. They howled at everything, even the moon, and it was full tonight.

"That's no deer. I just saw someone pass by the window."

Edward was out of the door before I could stop him. My heart began hammering inside my chest, beating so fast it was painful against my ribcage. I stepped over to the window, letting my fear overtake me. My eyes strained to adjust to the darkness. The only illumination was the Moon, as it shined bright in the sky above. As my vision adjusted to the dim light, I caught a glimpse of a dark figure getting into a car that was parked beside the road. Edward was too far away. By the time he got to the road, the car was speeding off down the high-way.

"Melissa," I gasped. She had said in Mr. Wickham's office that it wasn't over, but I had just brushed it off, thinking it had been her anger speaking. After tonight I wasn't so sure. Goosebumps prickled my skin and felt the small hairs on back of my neck rise. My whole body vibrated from fear.

The door creaked open, and I whipped around to the sound. Edward was standing in the foyer; sweat matted his hair to his forehead, and he was out of breath. "I'm sorry. I couldn't catch 'em."

My mouth fell agape in astonishment that he would even think that I cared that they got away. All I cared about was that he had made it back to the house, unharmed. I shuddered, thinking about what could have happened to him. What if the perpetrator had pulled a gun out, and shot him? "Please, don't apologize. I'm just glad that you're all right. What if they'd had a gun? You could have been shot!"

Edward chuckled, nervously. "It's a little late to be worrying about that." He gave me a more serious look. "Listen, Bella. I think I should stay here night.

Raising my brow, I offered a sly smile. "Mmm, hmm."

Edward's faced flushed from embarrassment. "I'm not using this as an excuse so I can seduce you later. That is the farthest thing from my mind at the moment. I just wouldn't feel right leaving you here all alone tonight, unprotected. Not after what just happened. You never know, they could decide to come back."

He was right, there was no way of knowing if they would decide to come back, and if they did, I really didn't want to be in the house alone.

I led Edward upstairs to the guest room, grabbing a towel and an old pair of pajamas that used to belong to Mr. Cope along the way. Handing the items to him, I said, "The bathroom is down the hall, third door on the right. Make yourself at home." I said.

As I turned to leave the room, Edward reached out and grasped my wrist. "Hey," he said, and then pulled me to him. He raised his right hand, hooking a finger under my chin, and lifted my head until our eyes met. Leaning in, he pressed his lips, gently against mine. My hands found their way into his hair and I pressed my lips, harder against his. A warm sensation coursed through my body, beginning from the top of my head, down to my tiptoes.

I was just getting into the kiss, when he pulled back and said, "Good night."

"Good night." I said, slowing backing out of the room, and closing the door.

**A/N Jake and Bella's story is loosely based on me and someone from my past, who meant a great deal to me. I dedicate this chapter to him, to Gary. Time may ease the pain of losing you, but for as long as I live, I will never forget you. How could I? I love you…still.**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N I feel terrible that I haven't updated, and even worse that this one is so short. The truth is, I had a case of major writer's block. I want to be able to get the chapters out as fast as some of the other FF author's, but when I try, I end up in a panic, and to be honest, I think that is what causes the block in the first place. With that in mind, I will finish this story; I just don't know how long it will take me. **

My heart was still racing from Edward's kiss as I closed my bedroom door behind me. It hadn't even been passionate, just a simple peck on the lips, but it did things to my body that I hadn't felt in years.

I kicked my shoes off and made my way over to the dresser, stripping my clothes off and discarding them on the floor along the way. After selecting a comfortable nightgown from the top drawer, I pulled the garment over my head and hopped into my bed. As I laid my head against the plush pillows, I yawned and pulled the covers up. I was tired as hell, but try as I might, I couldn't sleep. As soon as I closed my eyes, visions of the dark figure, who had earlier been peering through my window, and Edward running across the lawn after flashed through my mind like time lapse footage, my lids serving as the screen the visions played on.

Unanswered questions began to saturate my thoughts. Had it really been Melissa who was lurking outside of my house, or was it just some random peeping tom? I wasn't sure, but just thinking about it had my nerves on end. Should I have told Edward my thoughts on who I thought it had been? For that matter, why hadn't he asked me? Had he seen who it was when he chased them back to the road and was afraid to tell me because it had been someone he knew? Carmen had been really upset when she ran into Edward at Angela's house tonight. Could it have been her? Was that why he didn't want to leave me here alone, unprotected?

I quickly dismissed the thought from my mind. Carmen was extremely happy with James, or at least they appeared to be when I saw them earlier tonight at Angela's. Besides, she had accused Edward of having her followed, so I found it hard to believe that she would do the same thing to him.

Still, I couldn't help but wonder if he had an idea of who it might have been.

Sighing, I readjusted my pillow and closed my eyes, praying that sleep would overtake me.

It didn't.

If I couldn't sleep, there was no need to lay about staring up at the ceiling, so I threw the blankets back and grabbed my robe, pulling it on. As I descended the stairs I noticed that the kitchen light was on.

_I know I turned that off._

No sooner had the thought crossed my mind, when I heard what sounded like feet shuffling across the tile floor in the kitchen and cabinets doors as they were being closed.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. _Oh, my God. They came back and broke into my house?_

Slowing my steps, I grabbed the poker from its stand in front of the fireplace, and crept as quietly as I could across the living room floor, stopping at the kitchen door. Grasping the handle firmly with both hands, I raised my arms above my head. _Please give me the courage to actually hit them if they charge towards me._ I thought, easing my head through the door.

"Thank God, it's only you," I said, my hand pushed against my chest.

Edward jerked around, and the glass in his hand fell to the tile floor, shattering into a million tiny shards.

"You scared the shit out of me!"

"I scared you? How do you think I felt? I thought for sure someone had broken into my house," I said, my body visibly shaking.

Edward closed the distance between us, avoiding the worst of the glass. Placing his right hand on my shoulder, he lowered his head level with mine. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to frighten you. It's just that I couldn't sleep, so I came downstairs to get a glass of water."

_God, he is one fine specimen of a man_, I thought, practically salivating at the sight of him. I had been so shaken that I hadn't realized he wasn't wearing the top to his pajamas. My eyes began a trail, starting from the top of is bare chest, down to his waist, where a hint of his hairline peeked out from the top of his waistband that hung low on his hips.

"Yeah, me too... I couldn't sleep," I said, feeling like an idiot. I couldn't even form a coherent response.

Edward pulled his hand from my shoulder, and took a step back. "If you tell me where you keep your broom, I'll clean this up."

"I'll do it."

"No," he stated firmly, but then the corner of his mouth turned up into a crooked grin. "I made the mess, so, I should be the one to clean it up."

"If you say so," I said, and then pointed to the pantry door. "It's in there."

I watched in amusement as Edward swept up the glass off of the floor. I had never seen a man doing housework before. It wasn't that my father thought cleaning the house was 'women's' work. The problem was my Mom. She had always liked to keep her house in 'pristine condition', therefore she never let my Dad help with tidying up the place, as his cleaning skills weren't up to her standards.

"Edward?" I asked.

Edward emptied the dustpan into the trashcan, before turning to face me. "Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"You never asked me who I thought the person outside was. It made me wonder if maybe you did?" I felt like a total ass for asking the question, but I needed to know.

Edward shook his head, not meeting my gaze.

Was I just being paranoid? I wasn't sure, but the shiver that had just run up my spine didn't much help to squelch my fears.

"Bella?" Edward placed his hand on my shoulder, and I jumped at the contact. "You really are frightened, aren't you?" When I answered with a nod, Edward brought his hand to my face. "Honestly, I don't know who it was, but if I did, I would tell you." He shook his head, looking away again. "I didn't help, did I?"

"Not really, but it's good to know. How about we try to get some sleep, okay?" Edward nodded. Threading his fingers through mine, he led me back upstairs, pausing outside of my bedroom door.

I raised my head to look at him and I saw so much kindness and concern in his eyes. "I promise I won't let anything happen to you, Bella. And I'm right across the hall if you need me." Edward moved to go to his room, but I tugged on his hand, and he turned to face me.

"Stay with me?" I pleaded. Blood rushed to my cheeks when I realized that Edward might have misconstrued what I had just asked him. I didn't want him to think that I was 'that' kind of girl, so I went on to say, "I didn't mean it that way, really. It's just...I'd feel a lot safer if you slept in my room."

"I knew what you meant," he smiled. "I'll stay."

A fresh wave of nerves rushed over me as I climbed into bed. Reaching over, I turned off the lamp on my nightstand before pulling the covers over me.

"Bella?"

"What?"

"I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure you'd sleep better if you took your robe off," Edward advised me, chuckling.

"Yeah, you're probably right," I replied, trying to hide the embarrassment I was sure he heard in my voice. I sat up and pulled my robe off, tossing it to the foot of the bed.

When I lay back down, Edward rolled over to face me, propping himself up on his elbow before saying, "I understand that the only reason you invited me into your bed tonight is because you're afraid to be alone after what happened, but I can tell that you're still unsure about me being here," he paused, and then tilted his head. "Look at me," he encouraged, his voice low. I turned my head until our eyes met. "Let me put your mind at ease. I find you very attractive, and I hope that one day our relationship will become intimate, but if and when we have sex, it will be because we both want it, not because I thought I could take advantage of you."

"I didn't think you would take advantage of me. It's just that I've only ever…I haven't shared my bed at all in years, and I admit I'm a little nervous right now."

"If you trust me, I can take care of that?"

"I trust you."

"Then, roll over." When I did as said, he slid one arm under my neck, the other one around my waist and then he pulled my back flush against his chest. "Better?"

A smile spread across my face. "Much better."

It was the truth. I did feel better. Wrapped up in the cocoon of his embrace, I felt safe, like no one could touch me, and before I even realized it, I drifted off into a peaceful slumber.


End file.
